Quick Flashes
by Green Rainboots
Summary: Quick looks at Aaron's and Jackson's relationship, seen from the POV of others.


_So. These are snapshots, I think they're called, of times in Aaron's and Jackson's relationship. It's not exactly new stuff, I know, but the current Emmerdale makes me depressed anyway, so. This also completely ignores the train accident, because I hate it, and so I changed that night to something a little more positive._

* * *

><p>Chas steps out of The Woolpack and looks around for Aaron and Jackson. She's not really spying on them, she's just checking where they are. She worries about Aaron, that's all. And maybe it's none of her business, but she doesn't know what to think about Aaron and Jackson together right now. Last time – if there was a proper last time – didn't seem to go so well.<p>

They're heading towards Smithy's Cottage. Jackson's walking some feet in front of Aaron, but they are definitely both headed towards Smithy. Aaron stops at about the same time as Jackson starts crossing the front lawn. For a moment, Chas is worried Aaron will freak out and do something stupid and irrational. But Aaron doesn't stop for long, and he follows Jackson inside. Chas releases a breath she didn't know she was holding. If it wasn't because she knows it could ruin things for Aaron, and he and Paddy would both go off their heads, then she might go up there and pop her head in. But chances of it being chopped off are too big to be really appealing and worth it.

Chas looks behind her to make sure Paddy isn't watching her, and throws a last glance at Smithy before she heads back into The Woolpack. Aaron doesn't need her worry or motherly coddling right now.

"So where did they go?" Paddy asks when Chas sits back down on her stool.

"Eh?" is Chas's reply, and she puts on her best confused face. Hopefully she can fool Paddy with it, because she does not want to be caught nearly spying on Aaron like that. Especially not by Paddy, because he always seems to be flipping right when it comes to Aaron. He's sensible. It's unfair, Chas thinks, that Paddy's the one who's sensible when it comes to her son.

"You were checking on Aaron and Jackson, weren't you?" Paddy says.

"No, I wasn't!" Chas says indignantly. Paddy just gives her a look and she sighs. "Alright, fine, I was. They went back to Smithy."

Paddy turns back to his conversation with Marlon, and Chas turns back to her nearly empty pint.

She leaves The Woolpack before Paddy does, and she glances up at Smithy's Cottage, wondering what Aaron and Jackson are getting up to, but she doesn't go checking. What the two of them are doing is none of Chas's business, and she's not going to fool herself with silly ideas about them just watching a good movie. If things have worked out, well then Chas knows what they could be doing, and she has no desire to walk in on that. So she just turns around and heads back home to Carl.

* * *

><p>If Ryan was to count the amount of times Aaron has seemed downright happy, then he could count it on his fingers. Aaron isn't happy very often. He has moments where he seems happier, but usually he's just in this mood that's neither happy nor angry, it's just sort of neutral. So any time that Aaron comes to work in a downright happy mood, it's weird. It usually means that something good has, for once, happened for Aaron, and that's only a good thing.<p>

Ryan isn't sure exactly what Aaron got up to last night, but it must have been something extraordinarily good, because he doesn't stop smiling all morning, not even when Cain has a go at him. But he doesn't really answer when Ryan asks what happened to make him so cheery.

"Do you know what's up with him?" Ryan asks Cain later, when they're alone inside the garage. Aaron is just outside, but he's busy so they can talk without him noticing.

"He and Jackson got together last night," Cain replies in a low voice.

"You what?" Ryan questions, feeling very surprised. He's fully gotten over the shock of finding out that Aaron is gay, and he's been able to tell that there had been something more that friendly between him and Jackson, but with the way they've been acting around each other, Ryan had sort of assumed that they would never be anything more than good acquaintances, perhaps mates if they were lucky. It's actually more that than the fact that Aaron now has a boyfriend that surprises Ryan.

"Yeah. They talked for a while in the pub, and then they went back to Smithy," Cain says. He throws a quick look over his shoulder at Aaron. "I don't know what they got up to, but I have a few guesses. One in particular."

Ryan glances at Aaron as well. He's bent over the engine of a car, and he doesn't seem to have heard a word Ryan and Cain's conversation. Good thing, that, he probably wouldn't take too kindly to them talking about him. Ryan's eyes move on to Declan's house, where Jackson is working. Not in Ryan's view, right now, but he's working in there somewhere. He came with Aaron earlier.

"That's good for him, isn't it?" Ryan asks as he turns back to Cain. Cain looks at him a little weirdly, and Ryan can't decipher it.

"I suppose," Cain mumbles. He looks a little shifty, which is even weirder than Aaron being as happy as he is, because Cain does not get shifty. Ryan frowns at him, but Cain doesn't say anything or look at him. Instead, he busies himself with the engine of a car that's parked in the garage. They're nearly done with it, and Cain's actually checking something they've already finished. Ryan keeps frowning at him, and wonders what the hell has gotten into Cain. Cain throws another look at Aaron, who remains oblivious, and it clicks in Ryan's head. He smirks and takes a second to suppress his laughter.

"You can't get your head round it, can you?" he asks smugly. Cain glares at him, but he's done that so often that Ryan is now immune. He's immune to Aaron's glares as well, which is a very good thing.

"You what?" Cain says in a tone that is mildly threatening, but Ryan's not bothered.

"That Aaron and Jackson got together, it's weird for you," Ryan says.

"Shut up and get on with this," Cain grumbles and points to the car. Ryan snorts out a laugh and shakes his head, and then he gets back to work.

* * *

><p>To be completely honest, Adam is very relieved that Aaron and Jackson have gotten together. He's been feeling a little guilty about getting Jackson that job at Declan's new place, but now that Aaron doesn't mind it anymore, in fact he loves it, Adam doesn't have to feel guilty. He's also relieved because Aaron now has the boyfriend he wants, which will make him happy, and a happy Aaron makes Adam's life a whole lot easier.<p>

He's in Hotten with Scarlett for a night out prowling the clubs when he sees them, and he stops, effectively halting Scarlett as well, since she has her arm hooked through his. Aaron and Jackson are walking down the street across from them, laughing and smiling.

"What is it?" Scarlett asks, and she sounds very confused.

"Nothing," Adam answers, but he doesn't take his eyes off Aaron and Jackson. They head into Bar West, Jackson holding the door for Aaron, and then they disappear down the stairs. "I'm glad Aaron's happy."

"Yeah," Scarlett says. "He really likes Jackson, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he does. A hell of a lot more than he ever liked our Holly," Adam says.

"Well, there was a very good reason for that," Scarlett says lightly. Adam smiles at her and kisses her, and they start walking again. There's a new club they want to try, even if it is the third club of the night. They walk past Bar West on the way, and Adam can't help but try to spot Aaron and Jackson in there. Surprisingly, he can. The two are sitting across from each other at a table, both with a pint of lager in their hands. Aaron reaches out and touches Jackson's hand, and Jackson starts fiddling with the hem of Aaron's sleeve.

Adam smiles and tugs Scarlett a little closer. Things are turning out alright for Aaron, and he fully deserves that. Plus, another good thing for Adam about Aaron and Jackson getting together is that Adam won't have to go to a gay bar with him again. Not that he minded it that one time, but he had been a little freaked out by all those men staring at him like a piece of quality meat, even if he has, since then, decided to take it as a compliment. And the night hadn't really been a good night, what with Aaron pleading with Jackson, only to get turned down time and time again, so that had left Adam with a bit of a bad impression. But now Jackson doesn't turn Aaron down, and Adam doesn't have to go to a gay club anytime soon.

* * *

><p>There's loud music playing when Paddy gets home. It's coming from Aaron's room, and it's his type of music, so Paddy mentally goes through the reasons why Aaron would be playing music that loudly. Normally Aaron follows the house rule that Paddy set in when he agreed to Aaron moving in again – no loud music. But recently, the rule has been broken quite a few times, and one bad experience with it now has Paddy thinking before he knocks on Aaron's door and tells him to turn it down.<p>

Paddy can think of two reasons why Aaron would be playing loud music, and, unfortunately, one would make him stay away while the other would make him go up there, which kind of makes it difficult to decide whether or not Paddy should investigate the music. Either Aaron is upset about something, perhaps an argument with Jackson, in which case Paddy should go up and check if he's alright, try and cheer him up. Or Aaron brought Jackson back with him after their night out, and the two are now doing something Paddy really wouldn't like to see or hear.

He actually did once. He practically walked in on Aaron and Jackson after they'd had a night out to some gay club Jackson knew in Manchester. He didn't see anything, and he didn't go into Aaron's room, but he heard enough to know what they were doing, and had Aaron not shouted at him to stay out, then he would've gone in. So technically, he never walked in on them, but he was close. Thankfully, he was warned. By means of Aaron shouting "Do one, Paddy!" at him in a very annoyed, yet breathless voice.

Paddy eventually decides that he doesn't want to risk anything, his eyes or Aaron's anger, and doesn't go up to Aaron's room. Instead, he heads to the living room, to watch some TV, and sort out some paperwork from the surgery that he really should have done days ago.

This proves to be a wise decision a couple of minutes later, when Paddy's in the kitchen making himself a snack, and there's a pause in the music. Most likely the pause between two tracks. But that break, however short it actually is, is enough to alert Paddy to what is going on in Aaron's room, because someone lets out a loud, long moan. Paddy can't hear if it's Aaron or Jackson, and he really doesn't want to know either. He hears the beginning of another moan before the music starts back up again, this time from whoever didn't moan before, and then they're both drowned out again by drums, guitars, and basses, and whatever else is on Aaron's music. Paddy shudders. He has now heard more than he ever wanted to hear, and even more so, if that's possible, when combined with what Paddy heard that one time he nearly walked in on them.

Paddy hurries to finish his snack and heads back to the living room, shutting the door firmly behind him. Hopefully that, the music, and the TV will drown out all noises Aaron and Jackson make. Just the thought that they make noises in Aaron's bedroom makes Paddy shudder again, and he decides to just focus on the TV. Much safer, and a lot more distracting.

Some time later, which is an amount of time that Paddy doesn't know and doesn't want to think about, the music is switched off. When only silence follows, Paddy breathes a sigh of relief. Aaron and Jackson are… well, they've finished.

* * *

><p>Holly can't help herself. She has tried to, but she can't help staring at Aaron and Jackson. Not because they're really doing anything interesting, but because it makes her think about the relationship she and Aaron had. It's completely different from the one he has with Jackson, and not just because Jackson is a bloke.<p>

They're in The Woolpack, having a drink after work, and Holly is there as well. She's not with them, but she's sitting across the room from them, and it's a kind of a good thing that she's on her own for once. She's just staring at Aaron and Jackson, nothing else. They're sitting across from each other at a table in the corner, like they so often do if they can, each with a half-empty pint. Aaron's smiling at Jackson as Jackson talks about something or other. Both are completely relaxed and stress-free, not worrying or caring about what people are saying about them now, or the fact that Holly is staring at them. Probably because they haven't noticed her, but still. They're almost in their own little world, a bubble that will not be burst completely until they leave, or someone joins them without being invited to. They're happy in each other's company like that.

Aaron was never really like that with Holly. That was part of why she broke up with him. Well, not really, because at the time she had never seen him be the same way with anyone as he is with Jackson, but the fact that he seemed uninterested in her was a very benefitting factor. In the beginning, she didn't really notice, because he seemed to pay her enough attention, and he seemed to like her quite a lot, so that and the fact that Holly really liked him sort of clouded her judgment of his emotions for a while. But after he got back from Holland, and she got back from her winter trip, there really was something missing, and part of what was missing was a lack of genuine interest in Holly from Aaron's part.

He was good at hiding it, Holly would give him that much credit. Generally, he seemed to have an interest in her and her life, but he just seemed more interested in what Adam went about doing. He got along better with Adam. And yeah, sure, a lot of guys get on better with their mates than their girlfriends, but perhaps Holly started noticing the lack of… spark, interest, whatever, not only because she'd had the time on her own to think about it, but also because Adam was very different with Scarlett.

Holly now knows exactly what was wrong in her relationship with Aaron. He was never into her. He never liked her like that, because he doesn't like girls. That's about as wrong as you can go in a relationship, and Holly can't help but feel a little used. Aaron has never said he used her, but Holly feels like he did. Like he used her to turn himself straight, to hide his homosexuality, to fool everyone into thinking that he was a lady's man, or something.

Jackson laughs at something Aaron says, and Holly sighs. Aaron and Jackson's relationship seems a lot more natural and relaxed and whatever than Holly's relationship with Aaron ever seemed. They had to work a lot more for it.

"What are you staring at?" Holly looks up at Adam as he stands next to her table, hands in his pockets.

"Nothing," she replies smoothly. She's a good liar. A very good one, in fact. It's probably not something she should be proud of, or use to the extent that she does, but she feels a little proud of it anyway, and she uses it a lot regardless of what that means for her relationships with her family.

"Yeah right," Adam says, and he clearly doesn't believe her. He doesn't much anymore. Holly doesn't really feel like she can blame him. He looks around the pub for a moment, and then back at her. He seems amused, and it makes Holly just a tad uncomfortable. "Were you staring at Aaron and Jackson?"

"No, I wasn't," Holly frowns. "Why would I be staring at them?"

"You tell me, sis," Adam laughs. "But you were, weren't you?"

"No. I don't know what you're on about. I wasn't staring at anyone," Holly defends.

"You don't still fancy Aaron, do you?" Adam asks, frowning. "Because that would be really bad for you."

"I don't," Holly says. Then she sighs and glances at Adam before going back to watching Aaron and Jackson. "I just feel like he used me. Like I was some sort of cover for him. I don't like it."

"I don't think anyone would like to feel used," Adam says in that tone he uses when he's being careful with his wise words. "But he didn't do it to be mean to you. He did it because you were there, and he didn't like being gay. He actually tried to use you to become straight more than he used you to hide what he really is."

"I thought you said I turned him gay," Holly says, but she doesn't mean it, and Adam knows that.

"I was joking, wasn't I? Aaron was gay before that. He just didn't like it," Adam says. "Back then, he'd rather date the most annoying girl on the planet and be straight, than he'd date the nicest bloke ever and be gay."

"I know," Holly sighs. "I still don't like that he used me."

Adam laughs and goes to order himself a pint.

* * *

><p>There are many ways in which Cain is a bad person (are you kidding, there's a shit-load of ways in which he's a bad person), but he cannot be accused of not caring about his family. Aaron is his nephew, and nephews are family, so, naturally, Cain cares about Aaron. He's also an employee, which means that they spend more time with each other than Cain spends with the majority of his family, so he knows Aaron quite well, and he cares about him. And he notices things about him. One of the things Cain has noticed about Aaron recently is that there has been a small change in behavior. It's easier to make Aaron smile, he's not as touchy as he used to be, even if he still snaps and both Cain and Ryan both with and without reason. They're used to it, so it doesn't matter. What Cain isn't completely used to yet is that Aaron now uses something he didn't before, something Ryan takes great pleasure in using, and Cain does as well: his breaks. It's not like they have all that many breaks, but they are all allowed to step away for ten minutes or so during the day if they need a little break from work, but Aaron didn't use to actually do this. He seemed content working, even holding the fort, when Cain and Ryan decided they didn't feel like fixing cars for a few minutes.<p>

Now Aaron uses nearly all his breaks. Whenever he can sneak away to chat with Jackson, he does. He never did that before, not even when he was dating Holly. Not unless she came by to see him. Maybe it's because Jackson works right next to Aaron, so there's easier access, but Cain likes to think that it's because he really cares about Jackson, a lot more than he ever cared about Holly, and it's a nice thing to be able to tease him about.

Cain watches with a brew in his hands as Aaron walks away from a car he just finished and over to Declan's place. Half of Ryan has disappeared beneath a car parked in the garage, but Cain would rather the car took longer in finishing than having to have a gleeful conversation with Ryan in his head, so he kicks Ryan's leg. The rest of Ryan appears from underneath the car with a very confused look on his face. Cain nods his head towards Declan's, and Ryan, looking more confused than before, looks in that direction. Then a very amused expressions spreads on his face, and Cain can see why, because Jackson has a hand on Aaron's arm, and he looks very apologetic, while Aaron looks a little disappointed.

"Looks like he's not getting his way," Cain says with a smirk. Ryan chuckles. "So have you noticed that his work takes a lot longer now? And that he sometimes disappears, as if by magic?"

"Yeah, a bit. At least about him disappearing, but aren't you a bit old to believe in magic?" Ryan says.

"Oy, you, you're focusing on the wrong thing. He really cares about that Jackson, no doubt. He's even being a normal person and using his breaks, like the rest of us," Cain says. Ryan chuckles again and nods. "Think he might be a bit love struck?"

This time Ryan laughs.

"I don't know, mate, maybe. He's got his Mr. October, so why wouldn't he be?" he says with a smirk.

"I hope he doesn't start singing or something," Cain mumbles, and Ryan laughs again.

When Aaron returns to work just five minutes later, Ryan reappears from beneath the car he had re-disappeared under, and both he and Cain smirk, because Aaron is still looking a little displeased. "What's with your face? You get dumped or something?" Cain teases lightly.

"Shut up, I haven't," Aaron grumbles and heads to a car that needs an oil change.

"Seriously, though, what's got your face like that?" Cain asks, because he really wants to know. He's a curious person.

"Nothing. Jackson's just busy tonight, is all," Aaron mumbles. Cain literally has to restrain himself to keep from laughing out loud, and it almost makes his stomach hurt. By the looks of it, Ryan is experiencing much the same thing before he goes back underneath the car. Really, it's very funny. Aaron is unhappy because Jackson will be busy tonight, and nothing else. "Shut up about it, the both of you!"

* * *

><p>Mickey gets out of his car and slams the door a bit harder than what might be necessary, and winces, hoping that it didn't ruin the car. It's actually a generally good car, Aaron had been right about that, the problem is just that he doesn't know when it's going to break down. Aaron had left that bit out, the git. Mickey is still a bit angry over the fact that a kid like Aaron could fool him enough to make him buy that stupid car.<p>

There's a lot of loud music where Mickey is standing. Not surprising, really, there are quite a few clubs close by. He's parked in front of the club he's planning on partying at tonight, so there's some music coming from there, and a few buildings down the road, just within his line of sight, is Bar West. Mickey knows what Bar West is, since he knows most things about Hotten, particularly about the clubs and bars. He has no interest in Bar West, so he's not intending on looking at it for more than a split second to check out how many smoke, but just as he's about to look away, the door opens, and the guy that steps out has Mickey staring in surprise.

It's Aaron. Aaron Livesy, the git who sold Mickey the clocked car. He's coming out of Bar West. He's coming out of a gay bar. And he looks completely fine with it, so he wasn't in there by mistake. Mickey really hadn't seen that one coming. He's not homophobic, and he tries not to be too prejudicial, or go by stereotypes, he tries to keep an open mind about people. But he really hadn't expected Aaron to be gay. He seemed so… not gay.

Aaron pulls a cigarette and a lighter out of his pockets. Now that's not something that surprises Mickey. He keeps watching Aaron smoke for some minutes, because his girlfriend is late again. Jackson steps out of Bar West and smiles at Aaron, putting a hand on his shoulder briefly. Aaron smiles as well, and it's not a smile that Mickey has ever seen on Aaron's face. Not that he's seen Aaron that many times, and he's seen him smiling a total of one time. But still. It's a very bright, and very happy smile, not one that Mickey would've imagined on Aaron's face.

The scene is making something dawn on Mickey. Jackson is obviously very close to Aaron, and that's why he gave Mickey the money he wanted for the car. And Mickey can't help but wonder how close they are. Aaron clearly means something to Jackson, since he was willing to pay Mickey the money he wanted from Aaron, not from Jackson, and, well, Mickey can't help himself from thinking that maybe they're more than friends. Of course, two gay men can be nothing but good mates, but still. With what Jackson did for Aaron. It makes the wheels turn in Mickey's head. He almost feels disappointed that he will never know, because there's no chance of him ever asking either of them what they actually are to each other.

However, Mickey is once again surprised when Jackson leans in and kisses Aaron. So they are more than mates. Mickey was right. It makes him feel a little smug, because he likes being right.

Aaron and Jackson are pushed out of his mind the next second, when his girlfriend arrives, looking good enough to eat, in a skirt that Mickey paid good money for. He doesn't really care about Aaron and Jackson anyway. He got the money he wanted, and he was right about them. All is well with the world according to Mickey.

* * *

><p>A trip to a gay bar with his best mate and a young, gay couple isn't exactly Marlon's idea of a good night out. No matter how much he drinks, he's still tense, and he's still nervous every time he catches someone looking at him. He needs a conversation to distract him in order to have at least somewhat of a good time. By now he's considerably drunk, so he's calmer, and he and Paddy have devised a plan to keep guys from flirting or trying anything on. They act like a couple if someone comes over to them, so they're safe when they're together.<p>

Right now, Marlon is alone. Paddy has dared to venture into the men's loo, and neither of them have really seen Aaron and Jackson since they went outside. Well, Marlon thinks he saw them by the bar earlier, but he had to look away before he could confirm it was them, because a guy right next to them had been staring intently at Marlon.

But that is not the point, the point is that he is alone in a gay bar. And he's not enjoying it. He's feeling rather paranoid, because he keeps glancing around to see if anyone is staring at him, and if he hadn't been so drunk, then he would have found his actions embarrassing. He has seriously considered puking all over the floor to keep all the men away, but then he remembered that puking is disgusting and uncomfortable, and he'd ruin Aaron and Jackson's night. Probably not Paddy's, because he'd love any excuse to leave, but Aaron and Jackson's night would be ruined. At least a little, anyway. At the moment, Marlon doesn't even know where they are, so Jackson can't drive them home. But boy does Marlon want to leave. He hopes he can get Jackson to agree to go home a little sooner. He needs to find Jackson first, though.

Marlon looks around to see if he can spot Aaron and Jackson, and get them to agree to go home now, because there's a bloke eyeing up Marlon. Marlon moves through the crowd and does his very best in his drunken state not to touch anyone, while he keeps looking around the club. The guy that earlier on tried to chat Paddy up has now moved onto another guy, who has about the same body type as Paddy, and Marlon really doesn't know why he notices that. He turns around on the spot once he has reached the other side of the dance floor, and he freezes when he finally spots Aaron and Jackson.

They're snogging in a corner booth. They're really snogging. In public. In front of a whole crowd of people. Jackson has one hand on Aaron's hip and the other on his back, while Aaron has one hand on Jackson's neck, the other on his knee, and he's kissing Jackson in public. He'd never do that in The Woolpack. They're really going at it as well. Not in the hurried way, though, where people would tell them to get a room. More in the lazy way, like they've got all the time in the world to do that. Marlon looks away before he can analyze their kissing even further, and hopes Paddy comes back soon, because he wants company, and he really doesn't want to interrupt Aaron and Jackson at the moment.

Paddy returns a few minutes later, looking a little mortified.

"I think someone was having sex in one of the stalls," he says, and Marlon feels a little sorry for him, having to hear that. It's bad enough the rare time you hear two people in a straight club going at it in one of the bathroom stalls, it's probably worse for someone who's straight to hear two people in a gay bar going at it. "Have you seen Aaron and Jackson?"

"Yeah. They're over there," Marlon replies and points to the corner where Aaron and Jackson are still snogging. Paddy looks over there, and is quite take aback by the sight. Enough so that he physically takes a step back.

"Oh," is all he says, and it makes Marlon laugh. Then a thoughtful look crosses Paddy's face. "Think we can get them to go home soon?"

"I'm not going over there," Marlon says. Paddy looks a little uncomfortable at the prospect of having to go over there and interrupt them, and Marlon really can't blame him for that. It's why he doesn't want to be the one to tap Aaron's shoulder and get him to pull away from his game of tonsil tennis with Jackson. But then Paddy steels himself and goes over, and Marlon admires his bravery for that.

* * *

><p>When Aaron comes into work, Ryan immediately knows something is up. And not in the way something is usually up, because he's not grumpy or upset. Instead, he seems to be mysteriously chirpy. Ryan can't remember him being this happy since… well, ever, really, not at the moment. Maybe when he got together with Jackson, but otherwise, no. Not this happy. Sure, Aaron has seemed happier since he got with Jackson than he was before, but not like this, not this chirpy, not on a normal day.<p>

"What's with you this morning?" Ryan asks with a very deep frown. Aaron frowns as well, but he's still smiling.

"Eh?" he says.

"Are you sick or something?" Ryan asks, and it makes Aaron look very confused. "Why are you in such a good mood this morning?"

"No reason," Aaron says with a small shrug. Ryan doesn't believe him, so he tilts his head a little to the side and steps closer to Aaron, who now looks like he thinks Ryan has gone insane. Ryan pays no notice to that, because he has spotted something on Aaron's neck that might have something to do with his good mood. He grins, and Aaron almost looks a bit worried. Not quite, though, but something close.

"Good night, last night?" Ryan asks casually.

"Yeah, it was alright," Aaron shrugs.

"What did you get up to?" Ryan asks, suppressing his laugh.

"Went into town with Jackson. Paddy and Marlon tagged along," Aaron says, and the smile on his face widens. "Which was funny, cause we went to Bar West."

Ryan knows what Bar West is, and he has known longer than Aaron's been openly gay. He went in there once, on a night out with some mates. They were all a bit tipsy, but it didn't take them very long to realize it was a gay bar (two guys came over and tried to chat them up, tag teaming like girls, except they really weren't very girly or feminine or gay, at all. One was a fitness instructor, the other a flight mechanic). The thought of Paddy and Marlon spending a night out to Bar West is extremely amusing, and it makes Ryan laugh. Paddy and Marlon, who are awkward enough as it is in a straight club, would be hilarious to watch in a gay club.

"What did you do when you got home?" he asks.

"Eh?" Aaron is clearly very confused by Ryan's question.

"Something tells me you and Jackson had a great time when you got back," Ryan teases. Aaron now looks very uncomfortable.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"That hickey tells me that you and Jackson had a bit of a dirty night," Ryan says, and the look of shock on Aaron's face is worth the wait and the beating around the bush, and Ryan stores it in his memory for the next time he's angry or upset, or the next time Nathan does something sleazy.

"What hickey?" Aaron asks, and there's something a bit frantic in his voice.

"The one on your neck. Looks pretty big, Jackson did a good job," Ryan says, and Aaron actually blushes a bit. Ryan makes a mental note to write down today's date. "If I were you, I'd get it covered up before Cain gets here."

Aaron fumbles with the collar of his overalls, and Ryan chuckles as he gets back to work. He's happy for Aaron and Jackson, though. They like each other a lot, those two. It's good that Aaron's happy, he's a lot easier to work with when he's happy, and Ryan doesn't wish anything but the best for the people he like. And he likes Aaron, for some weird reason that no one, including Ryan, can really fathom. Then again, Ryan also likes Cain, so. But he's happy for Aaron and Jackson. They deserve to be happy. A happy Jackson is easier to live with, as well.

Cain comes into work nearly an hour later, and Aaron does a good job of hiding the hickey, but every time he actually has to stand up straight and look at Cain, he fiddles a bit with his collar again, and Ryan does his best not to laugh. He doesn't tell Cain, though, because that would be a bit cruel, considering the endless mocking Aaron would have to endure, and Cain doesn't find out, so Aaron leaves work about as happy as he was when he came in. Ryan hopes the good mood will last for a while. It makes it more fun for him to come into work, especially because Ryan himself isn't exactly Mr. Cheerful at the moment.

Oh the joys of watching Aaron and Jackson, Ryan thinks when he goes to the pub after work and sees Aaron and Jackson at one of the tables, Aaron laughing hysterically, and Jackson shoving Aaron lightly for laughing at him. Ryan doubts it will ever get boring.

* * *

><p><em>I hope you enjoyed that. The Holly bit wasn't supposed to be so long, I don't know what happened.<em>


End file.
